Yogi Adityanath visits Taj Mahal, takes part in cleanliness drive

On the morning of 26 November, Yogi Adityanath became the first BJP CM of Uttar Pradesh to tour the 17th-century monument Taj Mahal built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Yogi Adityanath, who allocated Rs 370 crore for development projects related to the mausoleum, laid the foundation stone for a tourist pathway from Taj Mahal to Agra Fort.

Donning a white cap, mask and yellow gloves, Yogi Adityanath, along with BJP workers and social activists, took part in a cleanliness drive outside the western gate of Taj Mahal.

This visit becomes more significant when the recent controversial statements made by BJP MLA Sangeet Som and MP Vinay Katiyar against the ‘monument of love’ is taken into consideration.

Vinay Katiyar labeled Taj Mahal as a Hindu temple and said, “Taj Mahal is a Hindu temple. There are many symbols of Hindu gods and goddesses in Taj. It was known as Tejo Mahal and water used to drip from its ceiling.”

The statement made by Sangeet Som raised some more eyebrows as the controversy kept piling up and more politicians joined. “Many people were worried that the Taj Mahal was removed from the list of historical places in the UP tourism booklet. What history are we talking about? The man who built Taj Mahal imprisoned his father. He wanted to massacre Hindus. If this is history, then it is very unfortunate and we will change this history, I guarantee you”, Som said.